


Captain's Orders

by helsinkibaby



Category: Almost Human
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-24
Updated: 2014-08-24
Packaged: 2018-02-14 13:32:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2193642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John and Valerie have something to admit to Captain Maldonado</p>
            </blockquote>





	Captain's Orders

**Author's Note:**

> For Day 5 of August Rush - picture of Maldonado not looking impressed!

"You're kidding me."

Maldonado stared at John who did his level best not to shrink back at the force of it. It wouldn't be the first time his commanding officer had given him that particular look, had used that particular tone, and John was willing to admit it probably wouldn't be the last. Beside him though, was Valerie, and he knew she didn't have half the track record that he did. From the corner of his eye he saw her swallow hard, look down and he fought the impulse to take a step closer to her. 

That would not help matters.

"No, Captain, we're not," he said instead, keeping his tone level and polite. He would have tried to inject an air of apology in there if he thought he'd done anything to apologise for, but he didn't think that, so respectful was the best he could do. 

Maybe it was that that took the wind out of Maldonado's tales because he'd known her long enough to know what she looked like when she was gearing up for a battle. She had been leaning forward in her seat, ready to take him on; those quiet four words have her shoulders slumping, have her leaning back in her chair and pinching the bridge of her nose.  

"Captain, I know this is a shock-" Valerie began to speak and stopped when Maldonado laughed a humourless laugh, shook her head. 

"You-" She directed her attention to John. "I expect stuff like this from you." She shook her head again. "Valerie, you have surprised me."

At that, John did step closer to Valerie, as much to support her as to let Maldonado know they were in this together. "We didn't want you to find out like this," he told her and she barked that same laugh again. 

"You didn't want to tell me at all," she corrected him and he couldn't say a thing because she wasn't actually wrong. 

"There are no official rules against two officers dating," John reminded her. "Most COs turn a blind eye as long as it doesn't affect their work." He stared at Maldonado, challenging her. "Has it affected our work, Captain?"

The use of the title had more of an edge than it normally did and Maldonado sighed, shaking her head once more, though this looked to be more in resignation than anger. "Not yet," she told him. "But in another nine months I'm going to be ordering Dorian that he's not allowed to lie if you're catching forty winks on the job because the baby's keeping you awake all night." 

Her tone was serious, but John could see amusement dancing through her eyes, could see the barest hint of a smile tugging at her lips. An answering smile threatened to appear on his own face and when he chanced a look over at Valerie he knew that the grin on her face was one of sheer relief. 

"Yes, Captain," he said, completely serious. "I take it I should tell Rudy to stop trying to program a diaper changing subroutine into the MXs?"

He was kidding - the thought had crossed his mind but he'd never taken it to Rudy - but the notion made Maldonado smile briefly. "Best that you do," was all she said. "Go home," was the instruction she followed with. "I'll put through the leave papers... Enjoy your honeymoon."

"Don't worry, we will," John promised, and he grabbed Valerie's hand, walking out of the office without looking back, ready for the first time ever to follow Captain's orders without deviating in the slightest. 


End file.
